Tides of the forgotten

The cafeteria buzzed softly with the chatter of students finishing their meals or huddling in small groups. Saurai Lian sat across from Bryn, chewing slowly, his thoughts wandering as the comforting hum of voices and clinking cutlery filled the space.

The room was enormous, with tiered seating and sky-blue lighting panels overhead, simulating daylight. The illusion was beautiful, but Saurai suspected it was just that an illusion. He had yet to see the real sky. The air smelled faintly of seaweed soup, fried fish, and something tangy he couldn't quite name. Along the perimeter stood uniformed student monitors , guards in modified academy outfits, each with a "Security" patch stitched neatly on the sleeve. Their posture was relaxed, but their eyes missed nothing.

Saurai spooned up some warm fish soup and bit into a nutrient roll. The food was palatable, just a little saltier than he expected but it did nothing to anchor him to this strange, unfamiliar world.

Across from him, Bryn was already halfway through his own tray and rambling through mouthfuls. "You know, I took normal lunch today instead of executive," he said proudly. "Gotta save points, right? I'm down to just 200 now. I want to buy that new gaming console next month. Lucky we got salmon today, though. Yesterday it was just algae patties. Ugh. I hate those."

Saurai nodded absently, barely hearing. His eyes drifted to a group at the far end of the cafeteria.

Five older students sat at a raised table near the central pillar, an area casually avoided by the rest. Even from a distance, they radiated an aura of authority. Four of them wore three bold stripes on their uniforms marking them as Level 3 permit holders. But the boy in the center wore four stripes.

Saurai stared at him. The student sat upright, calmly sipping from a tall metallic canister, his presence effortless yet unmistakably commanding. Three boys and two girls made up the group. One girl stood out immediately because of her flame-red hair falling over one eye, her expression both amused and calculated as she scanned the room like a cat in tall grass.

Then it happened.

The boy with four stripes turned his head slightly.

Their eyes met.

Saurai froze.

For the briefest moment, the boy gave him a subtle nod. Small, almost unnoticeable. But it landed like thunder in Saurai's chest.

Saurai blinked. Did I imagine that?

Suddenly, pain bloomed behind his eyes. A sharp, stabbing migraine. He gasped, clutching his temple.

"You alright?" Bryn looked up, concern wrinkling his forehead.

"Yeah… Just a small migraine," Saurai managed.

But it wasn't just pain.

It was memory.

Fragments, disjointed, yet vividly real.

He saw a colossal structure floating on the endless ocean Artemis-5.

Not just a ship. A city. A civilization.

Thousands of people lived aboard it. Generations born and raised without ever touching land. He remembered orientation sessions. Briefings. School enrollment. He'd joined this academy after turning fourteen, just like everyone else.

And that boy the one with four stripes, he wasn't just a student.

He was Varuna.

Saurai's older brother.

Eighteen years old. Final-year cadet. Level 4 permit holder, the highest clearance any student could achieve. A name whispered with awe across the ship.

The realization left him breathless.

At the elite table, the blonde boy next to Varuna leaned in, whispering something while glancing toward Saurai. The red-haired girl followed his gaze and smirked.

"Maybe the kid just wanted Varuna's attention," she said aloud, voice dripping with amusement. "He looks like a newbie."

A few students turned to look.

Varuna rose from his seat.

He walked over with quiet confidence, each step drawing curious glances. The room didn't go silent, but conversations lowered slightly, just enough to feel the weight of his presence.

He stopped beside Saurai's table.

"You alright?" he asked, voice even, calm.

Saurai looked up, still reeling. "Just… a small migraine. I'm okay."

Varuna's gaze lingered, sharp and unreadable. "Take care then." He turned and walked away without another word, rejoining his group.

The red-haired girl raised an eyebrow. "Anything special about that one?" she teased.

Varuna just smiled faintly. "Can't I care about a fellow academy student?"

Bryn was practically bouncing. "Did you see that?! That was Varuna! Level 4. He's like a legend here. Practically already military. He's from the top of the academy sector."

Saurai gave a noncommittal nod.

"And the redhead? That's Aisling. Tech genius. Completely scary in a duel. I heard she coded her own combat AI during her first year. The rest of them? All from Zeta Sector. Top unit. They've even been to Skyfang!"

Saurai raised an eyebrow. "Skyfang?"

Bryn looked at him, surprised. "You don't know? Skyfang's like... two whole clearance levels above us. I don't even think we're allowed to know what it really is. My dad says it's restricted even for some military staff."

He paused to take another bite. "Zeta's special. They go out on real missions sea monster hunting, even. Only a few students make it in. They train with the ship's defense unit. Total elites."

Saurai leaned back, his soup forgotten.

So much was clicking into place. The environment, the uniforms, the sectors.

The distance between him and Varuna…

He remembered now.

He had asked his brother to keep away. Not out of resentment, but because of the weight of constant comparison. The expectations, the attention it had worn him thin. He had begged for space to become someone on his own terms.

But Varuna, kind as he was, had misunderstood.

He thought Saurai wanted no help at all. That he wished to prove himself independently. And so, Varuna respected his wishes, keeping their relationship secret.

No one else here knew they were brothers.

And maybe… for now, that was for the best.

The soft chime of the end-of-lunch bell echoed through the cafeteria.

Students rose from their seats, clearing trays and gathering in groups.

Bryn stood up and stretched. "C'mon, we'll be late for practical. You really don't want to show up late after lunch. especially not when it's farming practicals. Miss Kaelin gets weird about soil protocols."

Saurai rose slowly, his headache fading, but the weight of regained memory still settling in his chest.

This wasn't his old world.

It wasn't a dream.

This was now.

And piece by piece, the puzzle of who he was and who he needed to become was falling into place.